Minnie Mekiana dances with the Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Elders from the Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, perform Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
The Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, perform Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
The Tagiugmiut Dancers from Utqiagvik perform on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
River Roberts dances with the Tanana Traditional Dancers on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
The Tanana Traditional Dancers perform on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Rev. Helen Peters dances with the Tanana Traditional Dancers on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
The audience joins the Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
The audience joins the Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Sollie Hugo performs with the Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. Hugo is wearing a Golden Eagle headdress. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Sollie Hugo performs with the Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers, a dance group from Anaktuvuk Pass, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. Hugo is wearing a Golden Eagle headdress. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Giselle Derrickson dances with the Tanana Traditional Dancers on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 during Quyana at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
One of the hottest tickets in Fairbanks this week was Quyana Alaska, a celebration of Alaska Native dancing and drumming, which took place Thursday and Friday nights at the Carlson Center.
Sollie Hugo from Anaktuvuk Pass’s Nagsragmiut Inland Eskimo Dancers wowed the crowd Thursday night with his evocative and energetic performance, wearing at times a wolf costume and Golden Eagle feather headdress.
The Tanana Traditional Dancers, the largest group that performed at Quyana, nearly overflowed the stage Friday night with moosehide-clad children and elders.
Some of the loudest applause was reserved for the youngest children, including 7-year-old Charles Negovanna Jr. of Utqiagvik, who performed with the Tagiugmiut Dancers.
